she would like to run for office. after all, she says, what better way to change the world. and that's it for today. have a great week. we will see you next time on fox news sunday. dana pireno will start in four seconds . >> tont on huckabee. republicans say the president budge. raising tax instead of a balanced approach instead of cutting spending is wrong. >> is the president serious about avoiding the fiscal cliff allen webb resphond. >> my homeowner insurance offered me $150 what can i do with that?

>> they lost the home and business and sense of security. victims of super storm sandep ho on how they are coping. >> who can throw their hate in the ring for 2016. ladies and gentlemen. our guest host tonight dana preno. [ applause ] ♪ >> welcome to huckabee. i am dana pereno and i want to thank governor huckabee to have me guest host. it is it a month since the presidential election and half of the country is elate vindicate they voted for president obama and walking on cloud 9. the other half not so much. they are confuse despondant and sleepless. they wonder if the nation has gone mad and want to return to

common sense not another four years on fantasy island. we are taught as kids to be good sports man and not gloat and give the other side high 5 and say good game. have we seen much much that. nope. being a good matter means being a gracious winner and a good spirited loserine if it is hard to feel that way. let losing party must ask why didn't people vote. enough self flagellation. it is time it get up and give high fives they deserve and get to work. what is the alternative? anger? sad depression? that's no way to live and it is certainly no way to win an argument let alone future elections . so what now? it is not time to change principles . the values of individual liberty and personal

responsibility and ability to move up the ladder, they are timeless valms and what is holding people back and weighing down americans of every race, creed and religion is an insat i can't believe government spending machine. they are not tackling so much what we heard in the campaign. i believe that political venge is a terrible way to leave the country and good policy and setting goals and taking bold action. anyone elected to office has a responsibility to weigh the evidence and we must hold them to the standard worthy of their office. in 2004, it was the democrats that wrung their hands. george bush had won reelection with a higher popular vote . increased republican majority in the house and senate. first time a president did that since fdr. yet the democrats won the house in 2006, presidency and

house and senate in 2008. there are wild swings from one election to the next and will be again. so don't go wobbly instead go boldly forward to explain why you are right. because i believe you are. [ applause ] all right. instead of working with congress face to face to save the economy. president obama is trying to gets had way by doing what he does best. campaigning and making speeches about the fiscal cliff. the president never presented a plan until this week . the reception on capitol hill was to say the least chilly. senator mcconle laughed at the proposal when presented to him. joining me is allen west. colonel thank you for being here. [ applause ] what wasyour reaction when you

finally saw what the president put on the table? >> i was in complete shock. it has nothing to do with reality. if you look at the president's propose to raise taxs and 50 billion more in stimulus spending and want to extend 99 weekings of unemployment benefits which is it a 30 billion a year . the other thing that troubling is that the president wants his own control of raising the debt ceiling . so i don't think we have a president that is serious about getting the debt under control and deficit and government spending under control especially when you understand that we have ha and post office in trouble. we continue to get closer to the fiscal cliff. i think that the president should take a case study and look at calvin coolige and john f. kennedy when they went in and lowered tax rates and you increase revenues which is what we are talking about. >> did you feel like it was a

bait and switch from president obama and what you heard about in the campaigns. light on the details . i heard from members of congress that that is not what you thought was going to happen. >> you are absolute low right. what you see happening right now, dana is the art of politics and verse us the science of good policy. we need to move away from campaign mode and stimulate economic growth and wealth expansion and not wealth distribution. when the president is focused on the wealth distribution politic which thomas jefferson and hamilton lincoln talked against we are headed on down the wrong path. more people are pushed to food stamps and more people pushed to poverty and unemployment situation is going to get worse. we have seen that recently with the weekly job claims numbers coming out. >> and one of the things that

are part of the debate and since the carter administration is the need to reform entitlements and make social security is set on a path and available to children and grandchildren that are born today. >> it seems to me that cram -- congressman that entitlements are not part of the discussion but do you think it should be. >> it has to be. it is troubling when the president is ordering the expansion of government and increase of tax rates, but he's not talking about the true of our debt and deficits which is 62 percent on the spending side. net interest of our debt and social security and medicare and medicaid. we have to do something for medicare . get americans back to work . continuing to extend the pay roll tax cut which is a defending of social security . every since we started that

bad policy. we have seen them run the deficit . medicare. when you see the american people paying on average. 115 million a year and getting something 300 mill or 300,000, benefits in their life. we have to do something about the fee for service program and get it a defined benefit and we have to reform and preserve mandatory spending programs. >> one of the things you are best at as a communicator of the republican party. what do you tell people who are worried about republicans or democrats might do in congress that would put their security in jeopardy? >> first and foremost, we are not talking about making change for current seniors or those 10 years from going in. but we have to do something for someone like myself who is 51 or those programs will not be there. we are talking 10-12 years of

solvencey between social security and medicare. we have to be adults and leaders and say we have a program and we'll bring viable solutions to future generations. >> we are grateful you joined us this afternoon. thank you, congressman west. >> thank you. [ applause ] >> this week one much romney's strategist said they should have done a better job of reaching out to hispanic voters. we'll ask mike next. >> i would like to hear from you. go to mikehuckabee.com. tell me what you think . sign up for my facebook page and follow me on twitter. youuuuuu]n

>> romney received 30 percent of the husband husband that is down from what president bush got in 200 much. so the gop has to figure out

how to reach out to latinos to win the future election. it is a pleasure for you to be here. [ applause ] i have known you a few years and i realize that i don't know the answer to my first question. what is your first political memory in your history? >> first of all, thank you for inviting me and it is it a great honor. my first memory, would you a little boy in cub a. and so bad memories was immense government that didn't allow any room for civil society, for peist action for individuals. i carried that with me remembering how evil big government is. >> so how did that form your personal filos -- philosophy. you think there is a way for conservative to reach out to latino. how will that hort and medium

term goals be accomplished? >> having seen communism from the start as a kid, you get to know and you understand how bad big government is. so the first thing, with regard to hispanic and the conservative message. first thidge you have to do short term is stop using harsh language. that is it a very negative thing and that could be done right away. it is it, i understand why many conservatives especially when it come to illegal immigration and fair play . they like the rule of law . saying they're breaking and violating the law. harsh tones are damaging. and the second thing to do is reach out actively to hispanic and help them don connect the dots between the policies and these bad policy how they're decimating the familis and

putting kids in nonperforming schools and they are control would by the teacher's union. long game which is hard tore implement is to reform the assimulating institution of the country. >> you don't think that government should be the entity that is teaching of the english language. that used to be at churches. >> that's the thing. i think liberals and especially president obama, there is it a lot of harm when they talk about community being government led and something that government implements. traditional american view. you have voluntarilies and faith based organizations and pta, scouts and the church that help the communitis and be self reliant. that doesn't mean you are on your own. we as individuals reach out to our neighbors by voluntarily and help ourselves when we need help. that needs to be taught again.

>> in the last seconds, in 2007, i was in the white house and president obama tried to get the comprehensive immigration bill . senator reid put the stake in that and it went away. now there is calls for comprehensive immigration. >> i am glad you bring back the history. it shows hypochrisy. senator reid and senator obama were against the immigration reform. they want to put edges . they don't want real reform and they could have already done it and right now, the house controlled by the gop, has passed now the stem act. >> which helps to bring science and technology . engineering. >> compres hencive reform. i am skeptical. >> i am skeptical and i am not sure we do comprehensive well.

we don't need obama for immigration . our government doesn't do comprehensive as well >> i encourage you to watch mike gonzalez about the issue . all of us need to do our part. thanks for being here. >> thank you for having me. >> all right. who are the front runner to battle it out for the white house in 2016. potential candidates are already doing planning. we'll have a early forecast from doug and pecky next.

>> president obama is still over one month away to a gingof a second term it is never too early to talk about the next presidential election.

special assistant and speech writer and journal columnist peggy newman. everybody? this is it a special day for me and i wanted to make a point. how did you get to be a press secretary. one person they wrote in on the hill. it was george. i thought the revelation . and thank you for that. am i crazy? it is not too early to talk about who is gonegoing to run. i think that the senator from florida is it begining to think as are a number of

republicans and given the organizational challenges that are involved it is imperative data that you run this soon. what goes through someone's mind. you could be president . that is it a big leap and what is the process you go through individually with your family. it is imaging yourself as president . what you have to do before now. do i have the right stuff and can i do this. are my spouse and children are they people who can accept this and tolerate this. it is what they can. it is just a really grueling

thing to run for president and you have to talk to yourself and can i take constant media executiny and pounding from the media and all of that has to go into the mix and then you have to think am i crazy enough to do this. >> talk about the elephant in the room it is it hillary clinton. >> yes. >> everybody is on hold until they find out what she will do. i heard other potential democrat candidates are having trouble to find consultants until they find out what she will do. >> i think that is right. first the nomination is hillary clinton's if she wants it she's going to take a year or two deciding, my best guest given that she ran in 08 and came so close and wanted to be president that she will in fact do it and if she does, i think she will get the democraticic nomination and be a formidable candidate. >> what about on the other

side if you are a republican thinking about running. does anybody stand out in the pack of the usual suspects. we can talk about a few of them. marko rubio and there is it chris christy might be one. in jeb bush. >> in fact there is it a deep bench i think on the republican side. there is it a lot of the people who would be possibly . who will want to come forward. it might be and it is possible 2016 will be a fracous on the republican side and a stately walking toward the coronation on the democraticic side. i say that within the context of knowing that four years of history can turn a number of things on their head. >> what about a third party candidate. earlier this year. 30 percent of people said they were republicans and demcreates and rest independent.

>> the country is ripe. i have seen the response that the elictorate offers in the real world activities to that . dana, there is a problem. the electoral system in this country make its extremely difficult for third party candidate to emerge. peggy wrote about there is so much dissatisfaction in the electorate there is it a desire for alternatives to emerge particularly in the center. >> great transition to my next question. does someone who considers to return for office could they be in politics now? could they emerge and get it done? >> wanda wilke. that sort of the character who a republican businessman. it is possible if the era we are living n anything is possible but i would tend to

think that the nominees would come from the political professional class. >> part of the thing is the fund raising piece. you saw president obama raised a billion to spend on the campaign . mitt romney not far behind that. is it possible to raise the money to run the campaign. >> it is difficult if you are not in the system. peggy is right and the electorate would embrace the wilke or perot type figure . raising the money and putting together the political structure and energy to do what is necessary in the campaign. dana, it is hard for somebody who is never been in the process and you have seen it first hand and you know how tough it is . tough for somebody with no experience to come in and do it. >> compeeling and convincing. doug and peggy. >> thank you so much. coming up later in the show, we'll meet a grouch -- group

of hurricane sandy victims. i get to do something in the question and answer session with the

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let's send you back to huckabee hosted by dana pireno. >> when i was white house press secretary and faced a room full of reporters and i am used to getting tough questions . it has been a a while since i was grilled and since i am guest host and i can't play a bass guitar. i am take questions. only person missing is helen thomas and sit negligent front row and she and i were good friends believe it or not. who is it first. >> hi, dana, i am richard from dallas and got an easy one. you are obviously lovely intelligent nice person, is it difficult to tolerate bob

beckel every day? >> very. >> bob and i used to take the train back and forth when we commute benefit we moved to new york. we were in dc and go back together on the train and we got to know each other very well and he is it a lovely anderous person . no one kinder to me on night when the republicans lost toe so badly. we were sitting together when megan and bret had their panel and i look over at him. bob, it is really bad and he would look over it is it already kid. he was so kind and never once gloted and bob beckle is one of the best friends i have ever had. just don't tell him that. >> my name is jeff snider and came from east tennessee to be here to ask this question. you were with president obama in iraq in the shoe altercation.

i heard that you got hurt during that. is that true and if so what happened? >> it is. i think i deserve recognition for that. [ applause ] they are telling me they have people play it all of the time and show president obama . a press conference in iraq and a terrorist posing as a journalist. now, i am trying to step on it when you see that tall secret service agent that rushes to the president. he was behind me and the inter operator was behind me . the steel arm of the boom mike caught me right here. actually when all of that chaos was happening, i believed it was a distraction for a bomb. that was my thought process and i thought here we g. but thankfully it was not series as all of later on president

obama found me and he said, i saw you crying but i thought you were crying because the guy threw a shoe at me . i said, well, i group in wyoming and i am a little tougher than that. and i finished the last six weeks of the bush administration with a big black eye. yeah, kind much perfect. you know derks bentley in tennessee. >> you do. >> i know who he is. >> i was going to get your number. >> dan ai love you on five. at the white house, when were you responding to reporters, were you limited by who was discussed to the priss conference or given leeway to discuss it like you wanted to. >> that was the most empowering job i had because president bush had to trust me to speak on his behalf. how did you say so calm in the podium. it is calm .

underneath you are paddling furously to stay afloat. all you have as a press secretary is your integrity. the most important thing for anyone who wants to be a press secretary and young ladies if you want to do this one day you have to be the most prepared person in the room. the press secretary defending the president. that is only 50 percent of the job. the other 50 percent is defending the press to the president and senior staff. we are founded on the first amendment we have to have a free press. they are representatives and supposed to ask the tough . i walked in reading what they did. even if i disagreed. it was a two-way street of respect. you get a lot of lee way. but the only thing you have is integrity . if you don't know the right answer. don't fudge it and you don't say what you know. that's what i would imagine if president bush were watching

me right now would he be proud? and if the answer was no. i swallowed it and didn't say it sarcas'm is the easiest thing to do in the podium and worst thing later. >> i am donna from maryland. what was the challenging event you had to deal with as white house press secretary. >> when i was the . one day president bush decided to visit wounded warriors in bethesia naval and we went to visit the first person, first soldier and he had not opened his eyes in two weeks after the hum vee. his parents and little boy was there. the president said what is the prognosis. he's not opened his eyes or communicated with him. his family is here and the little boy five years old. the military aid read the purple heart . the little boy asked president bush. what is a purtle heart. he got down and explained what

it was . right then, the soldier's eyes open and the medical rushed toward the bed . the naval officer said i think he wants the president . president bush then walked around the side of the bed and held the soldiers face in his hand said and said read it again and we stood at attention and we watched as president bush cried about that. i am not sad. it was not the hardest thing because of president bush, but it was something that taught me that none of us will ever know what it is like to be a commander in chief from either party that has to make a decision to send someone in harm's way . that changed my life. [ applause ] >> i love your show on the five. you and greg have great chemistry. was it like that from the beginning. >> greg and i do have great

chemistry. we never met before the five and never had a chance to talk. he said he asked me to do the show red eye and i blew him off. but greg is a wonderful talent and commomic genous and the brother i never wanted. all right. thanks, everybody. [ applause ] >> good. you are very good . earlier this week senators from new york and new jersey met with administration officials and demand 80 billion in funds to pay for the damage caused by super storm sandy . those funds can't come soon enough. they need help right away.

hear the mike huckabee shoon radio. detailings at www.mikehuckabee.com. >> a month after standy struck the northeast coast. many are slowly geth their lives back together. but thousands are still feelinglet tragic affects. thursday night staten island resident attended a town hall meets with frustration and desperation turned to anger. >> i have no electric or heat and i don't have sewage in the house. but then the city comes and said it is it okay to live n a joke . you oner why people are mad. we are the people of the

middle class. >> red cross comes by and rings and bell and come and get a hot male and leaves. we help each other and we need your support. they are coming and giving us food. same food over and over. same water and blankets. we are on three and four . we need money to rebuild. i can't build my bills with a blanket. >> one of the victims hardest hit. staten island. residents and his wife jennifer he survived the 9/11 attack and iraq war veteran and the home he shared with his wife and children was swept away . alicon's home was demolished and john to to, lost both homes and traunt business. we are honored that you made time to come together. i continue is it still so hard. [ applause ]

if i can start with you. pete, you told me before and i think it would be good for everyone in america to hear what happened that night. >> around 7 o'clock i returned to the home and filled up the generator, there was no water on the block. we went to the house and worked the generators, we were going to leave and i have a wife and children. we started to get wires run to the pumps in the basement. i wanted to keep my tools dry. we brought the generator up. i seen my car move i thought that is strange . i looked out and realized it was floating. we attempt to leave the house but the water was too strong. we went back to the property and at ed inside of the house. by sen:30 it was up to the waist and over 15 feet high. i said there will be no way to make it through and i called my wife and said goodbye.

>> jeanfer. you rented an apartment, and we talk a little bit about what that was like to try to find an apartment. your children are just young and how are they dealing with all of >> the biggest thing for us. getting them something normal. we were staying with friends that were to keep us in their house and told us to stay as long as we needed. we need to have something of our own and needed some space. i had family in other burr roughs who were less affect still affected and helping to look for apartments . there was a gas crise yis we couldn't get around the island . first apartment that was big enough for us and they would take us, we took it we moved in there with three air mattress and garbage bags was donated clothes which is tough, the kids know their stuff is all gone. they know that their father is here and that is most important. just trying to find a new

normalcy is difficult when i told them everything is going to be okay and i don't know it will be. >> you were saying earlier pete about the situation with the insurance company and how you worry about what is going to happen because you have a mortage. >> i have a $450,000 mortgage and it is it capped by the federal government at $250,000 and it is maxed out f. our homeowner's doesn't pick tup we are bankrupt. we worked to get where we were. i was the first person to own a home in my family. >> we have two segments here because we'll get alicon and johnnie here. tell us about your second and then in the second block we'll talk to john . what you can depo do to get help. >> our family doesn't evacuee. over the 31 years we lived in that home, there was never really a need to leave. so we elected to stay.

but the wind came and blew the door jambb open and then the flood water came in. it came up as high as the fourth steep to our second floor. so much, i had three sets of china from my mother-in-law and my mom and llardo and waterford and so many procious things that are gone, gone . never to be able to have again and it is it devastating to my family, to all of us. even extended family members that have been, they just don't know what to do to help us. they don't know what to do. >> you experienced so much loss and it is it only five weeks. thankful you are here. we'll have another segment and talk to john as well he did not just lose his home, he lost his restaurant, too. we'll hear his

♪ all right thanks and welcome back to huckabee. john, you lost your home and restaurant. where do thingings stand now fur . where do you go from here? >> we'll attempt to rebuild the restaurant if that is possible. the home that is gone. i can't think about that. i got stow many issues going on, i have to try to get my place back to where it needs to be. you put your body of work a lifetime in to something and in a matter of one evening, everything is gone. >> do you feel like you are getting the help you need? >> i tell you what, the initial help i got was from friends, okay . they were tremendous, okay. they have been with me every

day and helping me and thank god for that. elected officials, they are trying everything they can do. look, there is it a thousands layers of issues here and a lot of people have problems. everyone i think is trying to do whatever they can do to get us to another level. but it is going to take time. >> alison you were in the staten island town hall. people's frustration are to the level of now they are angry. where do they go from here? >> the problem is, that they are inviting us to rebuild, but the problem is, that the shore line is so unprotected and basically has been since the nor'easter of 1992, and the burr rough president said over and over again that there is no funding and the army corp of engineers can't do anything. but we don't believe that that is it true. they always have funds for everything.

it is just if it takes a declaration of whatever it is to declare what we need to get done, they can fix the shore line, even if we volunteer and do it ourselves. give us the supplies to do it and we'll do it why are talking about a community of people who are there 50, 60 and 70 years. these are our hopes and where we want to be . we want to go from, we don't want to go anywhere else. we love our community. >> that's a good point. i was going to ask what it was like for your kids. are you able to look past the next couple of weeks, they have in december and christmas. >> my son's birthday is wednesday and my daughter's is 21st . unplanned christmas. we are trying to find something normal. i have had a lot of friend and volunteers help me find a reasonably priced place to have a birthday party with one

week's noticed and accepteding invites via text message it will be the smallest of parties they had but probably the most important. >> pete, what about you. you lost your tools, are you able to build back that inven tore. >> i bought my first screw driver and looking at it i have a long way to g. my tools are my life. i built that house from near scratch and i bought a scratch and built it in a mansion in my eyes you know. >> if you could ask the american people to remember a couple of things about this, john what would it be. christmas is come people move on what do you want people to know? >> for one thing i would like to mention, this country is the greatest country in the world, okay . we always help other countryings . we send mon yeaid to every country that has some type much disaster and catastrophe

and haiti and thigh land. we have our own natural disaster here. we need help from the government. obama said he was not going to leave until we are taken care of. we want to see if that happens. >> that is it a good point. alicon. >> i agree, i agree. i believe that there is money there to fix us and make us whole . notine to be whole like we were. just something near. something near and we'll do the rest. but, but to build in an area that is it unprotected and not to do anything toward that, that is it just putting the cart before the horse and we are going to get devastated again. >> we are very grateful that you took the time to be with us and your stories with us this afternoon. thank you so much. >> all right. thank you all. [ applause ] and if you would like to help

victims of super storm sandy. one of the ways to go to tunnel to toward.org. they help those who lost their home find a new place to live . you get to pick the specific area you want to donate to. and if you are a new york resident who has trouble collecting insurance the state has set up a website to assist with insurance-related issues stemming from standy. www. nyinspire.ny.gompt we'll be back with closing thoughts.

one of america's most beloved presidents has been feeling underthe weather and has been in the hospital. there was a outpouring of well wishes for the speeding recovery and he asked if he should call back and thank them for their